With my new Hotpoint oven came a Steam pot so I’ve been trying to experiment with steam cooking, not only is it more nutritious but also so much more healthier. First, since food is cooked by direct contact between steam as well as the movement of the hot vapor through the food, no fat is needed to conduct the heat. This makes steaming a lower-calorie, low fat cooking method. Food stays moist, too, since it is being bathed in water vapor. Also, since water soluble nutrients (namely Vitamins C and B) don’t leach out into vapor, steaming preserves up to 50% more nutrients than other moist heat cooking methods.

Just because steaming is a healthy way to cook doesn’t mean it has to be bland. There are many ways of adding extra flavor to steamed food during the cooking process. You can bring extra flavor to your food by adding all sorts of complementary herbs and spices to your cooking liquid. Further up the flavor by substituting stock, fruit juice or wine for water. The additional flavors will permeate the food as the steam cooks them.

Makes 9

2 Chicken Breasts

1 shallot

1 tsp garlic granules or 1 garlic clove

1 leek

40g whole peanuts

1 tsp salt & pepper

350ml chicken stock

1 tbsp peanut butter

spinach

1 tsp peanut oil

Slice the Leek, using a bit with the green on

Peel and slice the shallots

Shell and peel peanuts (if not predone), blitz in a blender until fine

Cut the chicken into small pieces and season

Add chicken, leek, shallots, garlic and seasoning to the peanuts in blender and blitz together.

With your hands roll into meatballs and place on a greased baking tray, then refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Pour the chicken stock into the steam pot and then place the meatballs onto the grid and place in pot, cover with lid. Set steam time to 10 minutes.

2 minutes before ready place the spinach in the pot also.

When ready remove the chicken stock from the pot and place in a pan on hob. Reduce by half and then emulsify 1 tbsp peanut butter and 1 tsp peanut oil until sauce thickens. (about 1-2 minutes)

O.M.G…..I just had to try this. A Glasgow based Chippy called The Kents advertised beer battered square sausage a few weeks ago and it went viral, so yes of course, I had to try my own version. You really don’t get any more Scottish than this. It was surprisingly delicious.

Makes 8

For the Batter:-

125g Plain Flour

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp garlic granules

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

250ml Beer or Lager (I used Tennents to go all Scottish)

*

Sausages x 4 – preferably from your local butcher

4 tbsp flour to dust

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl then crack in the egg.

Gently start to whisk together and slowly add in the beer/lager little at a time until you get a nice smooth, lump free batter. It should be runny but not too thin.

Heat some oil in a pan. To tell the right temperature, drop a little of the batter in and if it gently starts to cook and turn brown then its hot enough.

Dust each sausage with a little flour then dip into the batter.

Gently drop the sausage into the oil and cook for about 8 minutes, don’t over cook or it will go rubbery.

When life gives you snowy days…………..JUST BAKE!……….Coffee and Cake can never go wrong in my house, especially on a snowy day. I used my sponge recipe from my pistachio cupcakes, and I just omitted the pistachios. I baked half with chocolate chips inside and the other half I used some Unicorn Chips (coloured white chocolate chips). I then decided to use what I had in my cupboards with regards to decoration and went a bit creative……lol! Think the boredom was getting to me……lol.

This is definitely my best cupcake mixture to date, always light and fluffy and full of flavour.

This week we have had nearly 2 foot of snow fall, so not able to get out for a couple of days, there was no other option than to make some bread as we had just about ran out of food in the house. I have to say this was my best for a while, flavour and structure was perfect.

Makes 2 small (250g) loaves

250g Strong White Flour

250g Strong Wholemeal Flour

1 packet 7g yeast

1 tsp caster sugar

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

300ml warm water (not boiling)

Sift flours into mixer bowl, add in the salt and sugar to one side and the yeast to the other. Make a well in the middle.

Pour in the honey and oil and gently start to bring together. (If using a mixer, use the dough hook and mix on level 2)

Gently add in the warm water, little at a time until you get a smooth dough.

If you having a rising setting on your oven, select and prove for 2 hours. Alternatively, place a damp tea towel over bowl and leave in a warm place to prove or until double in size.

Punch down the dough a couple of times, empty onto a floured surface and shape into you bread. I cut dough in half and made 2 small loaves, 1 round and 1 oblong. Trick is when shaping, make sure dough is tight, place hands facing up at the bottom of dough and bring together underneath.

Place onto a well floured tray or bread tin and prove for a further 1 hour.

Preheat your oven to 200 deg, place a tray with cold water on the top shelf (this prevents the crust for over crisping), then bake your bread on 1st or second level of oven for about 30 minutes or until the bottom sounds hollow.

I just love Sunday Brunch time, no alarm, lay in, relaxing morning and a fantastic big breakfast that will keep me going until my Sunday dinner. I couldn’t decide between sweet or savoury this morning, so why not both?? This was an absolute treat and so glad I had some fresh tomatoes as this jam just nailed the dish.

Divide the mixture between the cases and then push some chocolate chips into each one.

Bake in the oven for about 23-25 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Leave to cool on a rack after.

Meanwhile, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add 1 tbsp at a time of water until you get a thick but still slightly running texture. Then drop 1 or 2 drops of food colour into icing to make a pale green colour.

Melt some chocolate in the microwave for the decoration. About 1 minute – 1m30secs.

When cakes are cool, top with the icing, then left over pistachios and drizzle with the chocolate. Refrigerate for about 1/2 hr to harden.

Looking in my fridge I had to use up my leftover chorizo, so this was my Friday night quick dinner creation. Very filling, loads of flavour and loads of goodness too. I decided to use my Crisper plate instead of a fry pan then oven and was so glad I did as it only took 15 minutes to cook and more importantly 1 dish to wash up….lol!

Serves 4 (or 2 hungry people)

2 white potatoes

1 sweet potato

Chorizo – I used 1/3 of a 225g ring

1 red onion

6 eggs

1 large handful of kale

1 garlic clove or 2 tsp garlic granules

Salt & ground black pepper to taste

Place a knob of butter on plate and pre heat Crisper Plate on Dynamic crisp setting for 3 minutes.

Slice the potatoes and red onion about 1/2 cm thick

Slice up the Chorizo not too thick.

Whisk the eggs into a jug/bowl and season.

Place the potatoes onto the crisper plate a start to layer up then season each layer with salt, pepper and garlic.

Cook on dynamic Crisp setting for 8 minutes

Remove then add on the red onion and chorizo, cook for a further 5 minutes

Remove plate then add on the Kale and pour egg mixture over evenly. Cook for a further 3 minutes.